Return to Former Camp Robinson Property

Camp Robinson Formerly Used Defense Site
Restoration Advisory Board
Meeting # 6
Arkansas Game and Fish Clubhouse
Clinton Road, Mayflower, Arkansas
May 1, 2003

RAB Members Present:
Kenny Vernon (AR Game & Fish)
Frank Pearce (Mayor of Mayflower)
Gary Cates (Acting Community Co-Chair)
Mike Hill (ADEQ)
Max Frauenthal (COE, replacing Ms. Margaret Morehead as Co-Chair)

RAB members absent:
Kevin Mathis (co-chair)

Others Present: Chason Smith (COE-Huntsville), Dan Plugge, (COE-Huntsville), Gerald Moore (Parsons-Atlanta), Andrew Hands (Parsons-Austin), Anne Borg (Borg Association Management), David Virden (COE-Little Rock),

The meeting was called to order at 6:45 P.M. by meeting facilitator Anne Borg. Ms. Borg asked RAB members to introduce themselves. A quorum was present.

Mr. Gerry Moore of Parsons Engineering Science from Atlanta presented a Power Point presentation titled “Post EE/CA (Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis) Public Review Meeting – Project Investigation Summary and Recommendations.” The report summarized findings of the investigation at the approximately 15,000 acre portion of the former Camp Robinson site located in Pulaski and Faulkner Counties just north of North Little Rock. Mr. Moore encouraged questions during and after the presentation. Mr. Moore presented the following key points and areas of information:
Project team members
A brief description and history of the site including color maps
Details about the scope of the work done by Parsons
A table of UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) calculator summary results
Historically noted ordnances
The nature and extent of OE (Ordnance/Explosives) Contamination
Recovered UXO Items
Identification and Analysis of OE Response Action Alternatives
Detailed reports about findings in Sectors 6, 10 and 11
And a response recommendation

The Camp Robinson Site was divided into 5 Areas for the purposes of study with Area 2 becoming the primary focus. Approximately 4,206 acres of Area 2 are in use by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for recreational functions such as hunting, fishing and wildlife habitat management. The other portion of Area 2 is owned by numerous private parties. Land use in this 9,260 acre sector is a mixture of residential, agricultural, forest and undeveloped property. Parson further divided Area 2 into 14 sectors. (Parsons maps displaying Areas and Sectors were shown in the presentation and also were in the handout given to those in attendance.) Using an UXO calculator, Parsons determined the test area “subset” or how much of the area to study for statistical accuracy. A 90% confidence level was desired.

Parsons used information about ordnance found in the past to determine the focus areas. The team used highly sophisticated metal detectors to scan the selected study sites and found many objects that were evaluated. Most of the 2,322 anomalies that were uncovered were “ordnance scraps” or what was classified as “other scrap.” There were twelve UXO and two OE items found. The report outlined what each of the UXO and OE objects were and where they were found.

Sectors 6, 10 and 11 were outlined in detail as to findings and the recommended response. In addition Parsons made four overall recommendations for response to these findings.

1. Public education of OE safety. Teach the public about the risks and to “walk away” if an item is found and call the appropriate response team.
2. OE clearance to depth is the recommended response action for portions of Sectors 6, 10 and 11, totaling about 70 acres.
3. The acreage recommended for clearance to depth may increase with findings.
4. The estimated costs for the recommendations are $1,317,895.00.

A copy of the Draft Final EE/CA is available at the Mayflower Public Library and at the Corps of Engineers Public Affairs Office. The public review period extended from May 2 until June 13, 2003. Mr. Moore indicated the report had a tremendous amount of data and he encouraged all members of the public or anyone with questions to call Mr. Max Frauenthal at 501-324-5197 or visit the project web site at www.projecthost.com and click on the Camp Robinson Project from the pull down menu.

A Question & Answer session followed the presentation.